Shahi Paneer

One morning, my extremely fussy son comes and tells me: Amma, I had Paneer at school. It was spicy but I ate it all up. Can you make that today.

Bells started ringing in my head. My son liked something!!! I asked him to describe what he had eaten and I put together this recipe for lunch. 

He liked it, my day was made :)

You Need:

• 300 gms Paneer
• 1 large onion diced
• 3 tomatoes puréed and strained
• 1 green chili
• 1" ginger chopped
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup cashed nuts soaked in warm water
• 1 small green cardamom
• 1 big brown cardamom
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cloves
• 5 peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder / jeera powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder / dhaniya powder
• 1/4 tsp kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp cream
• 3-4 tbsp Clarified butter / Ghee or Oil
• Chopped coriander for garnishing

Steps:

• Keep the paneer soaked in hot boiling water till you need to use it.

• In a pan heat 1 tbsp of ghee/oil and add the green cardamom.
• Then add the onions, ginger, garlic and green chili. Sauté till it starts browning.

• When it cools, grind it to a paste with the cashew nuts.
• In the same pan heat the remaining ghee/oil, and add the remaining whole spices.
• Then add the onion paste, the tomato purée and the tomato paste.

• Stir well. Add water as required for desired consistency.
• Mix in the remaining spices and salt.
• Add the cream. Drain the paneer and stir it in. Allow it to come to one boil. Check salt and seasonings and adjust as per taste.

• Garnish with chopped corriander and cream and serve hot with rice or rotis.

Notes:

• For a low fat version, substitute the cream with milk. Add water accordingly if you will be adding milk.
• Soaking the paneer in hot boiling water keeps it soft.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

Soup, for me, is a comfort food. I can have bowls of steaming hot soup and feel completely satisfied :)

I am slowly getting my children also hooked on to soups. Healthy and nutritious, it makes for a great meal. This uncomplicated soup and can be easily put together without much of an effort.

You Need:

• 300 gms white pumpkin
• 3 onions
• 2 potatoes
• 2 stalks celery
• 3 large flowerets of cauliflower
• 1/4 cup corn + 1 small handful of corn
• 1 small handful peas
• I carrot finely chopped
• 4-5 beans finely chopped
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Steps:

• Wash and dice the pumpkin, onions, potatoes, celery, cauliflower. Also wash and add the 1/4 cup corn. Pressure cook these vegetables till they are well cooked.
• In a large pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the beans till they are half done, then add the carrots, remaining corn and peas and stir around for a few minutes till almost cooked.

• When the cooked vegetables have cooled, purée them and strain them into the large pot.
• Add the milk and extra water for desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat till it comes to one boil.
• Serve hot with some grated cheese sprinkled on top and warm bread.

Notes:

• Feel free to adjust the quantities of the vegetables as per your taste.
• You can use half a cup of cream instead of milk for a richer taste.

Five-Star Dal Makhani

A simple dish that tastes heavenly. A few lentils, a few spices, a little bit of stirring around and magic is ready.

When I go to an Indian restaurant, I judge their food by the quality of their Dal Makhani. If its not better than what I make, nah, I may just not go back there to eat again !!!

Get your ingredients right and you will have a winner each time.

You need:

• 1/4 cup kidney beans / rajma
• 1/4 cup black gram / full black urad dal
• 1/4 cup split gram dal / channa dal
• 1 medium onion chopped fine
• 2 tomatoes chopped fine
• 2 green chillies chopped fine
• 1" piece ginger cleaned
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder / haldi
• 1 tsp red chillie powder
• 1 - 2 tbsp fresh cream
• 2 tbsp clarified butter / ghee or regular butter
• Salt
• Corriander leaves chopped - for garnishing

Steps:

• Wash lentils well and soak for 6-8 hours. Then pressure cook till soft along with the full piece of ginger.
• Return to the heat and mash till mushy. Let it boil for 10 minutes. Add water if required and keep stirring. Add salt.

• In a pot heat 1 tbsp of ghee and sauté the chopped onions till soft.
• Add the tomatoes and chillies and cook.
• Once the tomatoes have softened, add turmeric and chillie powder.
• Sauté till you get a fragrant aroma and add the lentil mush to it.
• Let it come to a boil. Check seasonings. Take off heat.

• Add the fresh cream and ghee / butter.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with steamed rice or rotis.

Notes:

• Add more butter or cream for a more rich taste.
• I always feel this dish tastes better the next day. You can make it earlier and do the last three steps before serving.
• If you are going to have it with rotis, let it be a little thicker. Add a little more water if you will be having it with steamed rice.

Methi Malai Mutter

I had a bunch of Methi leaves lying in the fridge and I wanted to make something beyond the usual Methi parathas or aloo methi subzi.

I thought of the rich in taste, Methi Malai Mutter. But then, was skeptical, the last time I made it - complete, total disaster. I usually try a recipe at least twice before I give up on it. At my second attempt, I managed to make sure everyone at home relished it.

You need:

• 2 cups Fenugreek leaves / Methi
• 3/4 cup green peas
• 2 medium onions diced large
• 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp Cashew nuts
• 1-2 Green chillies
• 1/4 tsp dry mango powder / amchur
• 1/4 tsp Garam masala
• A big pinch Kasuri Methi / dry fenugreek leaves
• 1/2 tsp red chillie powder
• 1/2 cup fresh cream
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste

Steps:

• Clean, wash and chop finely the Methi leaves.
• In a blender add the onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies and cashew nuts and grind to a paste. Add a few tsps of water if required.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add the onion paste and sauté till the raw smell goes, approx 5 minutes.
• Add the methi leaves and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
• Then add the green peas, chillie powder, amchur, kasuri methi and garam masala powder. Add salt. Cook till the peas are soft. Add water if required.
• Add the fresh cream. Make sure the heat is turned to low once you have added the cream. Else the cream might curdle. Heat till warm. Check seasonings and adjust if required.
• Serve hot with any type of Indian flatbread.

Notes:

• I did not add green chillies as my kids do not eat spicy food. Feel free to increase the quantity for added heat.
• If you want to go slow on calories, you can add milk instead of cream.

Dum Aloo

Baby Potatoes, a complete delight to look at. I have been thinking of making Dum Aloo for quite a while now. But almost always have just roasted them or made it into a dry subzi to cut down the cooking time.

I finally decided to get the ingredients ready, oven roast the baby potatoes as a variation and then make the Dum Aloo.

You need:

• 15 baby potatoes
• 3 tomatoes puréed
• 3 tbsp yoghurt / dahi
• 3 cloves
• 3 peppercorns
• 1 brown cardamom
• I" stick cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp cumin powder / jeera powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder / dhaniya powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder / haldi
• 1 tsp red chillie powder
• 2 tbsp cashew nuts
• 3 tbsp full cream
• 3 tbsp oil
• Salt

To grind to a paste:

• 2 onions large diced
• 2 garlic pods
• 1" piece ginger

Steps:

• Wash the baby potatoes well and pressure cook to 1 whistle. Cool and peel and prick well with a fork.
• Preheat the oven to 200degrees C.
• Toss the pricked baby potatoes in 1 tbsp of oil and little salt and spread it in a lined baking tray.
• Bake for about 20 mins or more till slightly browned.
• Take 1 tbsp oil in a pan and sauté onions, garlic and ginger till brown. Cool and grind to a paste with the cashew nuts.

• In the same pan heat 1 tbsp oil and add cloves, peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves for a few seconds. Then add the ground paste and sauté for 2 mins.
• To this add the puréed tomatoes and the dry spice powders. Stir around for about 2-3 mins.
• Beat yogurt well and add along with salt. Add water to make it a gravy consistency. On a low flame let it come to a boil.

• Add the roasted baby potatoes and cream. Check seasonings and adjust. Let it come to a boil again. Then take off the heat and keep covered for 5-8 minutes for baby potatoes to absorb the spices and flavors.
• Garish well with chopped coriander leaves and little cream.

Enjoy with hot rotis or rice.

Notes:

• You can either deep fry the pricked baby potatoes or stir fry in a pan with 1 tbsp oil as per your taste.
• Add 1 tbsp tomato paste for a redder curry. You can then reduce the yoghurt to 2 tbsp.
• Grind green chillies while making the onion paste if you would like the Dum Aloo to be spicier.